Compressor or follower for file receptacles



Oct; 5, 1943. J.'R. JON-ES :rm. 7

COMPRESSOR OR FOLLOWER FOR FILE RECE PTACLES 194s 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 1

ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 5, 1943 COMPRESSOR 0R FOLLOWER FOR FILE RECEPTACLES James R. Jones, Lakewood, and Victor A. Gronberg, Jamestown, N. Y., assignors to Art Metal Construction Company, Jamestown, N. Y.

Application February 1, 1943, Serial No. 474,274

8 Claims. (Cl..1 29-28) having follower or compressor means of novel,

improved construction. Other objects of the invention are to provide a file follower or compressOr which is adapted to b releasably secured in different file-supporting adjustments in the file receptacle and to swing or tilt about a hinge axis in the bottom portion of the receptacle in its said different adjustments, and is spring-pressed towards a standing file-compressing position, but is also adapted to be releasably retained in a pressure-relieving position tilted away from the files; also to provide a device in which said follower or compressor comprises a runner or base arranged or mounted for forward and rearward adjustment in the bottom portion of the receptacle, a compressor member which is hinged at its lower portion on said base to swing toward and from the files, latch means for releasably securing the base in different adjustments in the'receptacle and also for releasably retaining said hinged'member in an inclined file-relieving position, and a common actuating or releasing member for said latch means; in which the latch means for releasably securing the follower base in its different adjustments and releasably retaining th hinged compressor member in the file-relieving position are constructed to permit the compressing and relieving movements of said hinged member, and the retaining and releasing thereof in any of the adjustments of said base, without releasing the base latch. v

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following specification of the preferred embodiment of the invention, shown in the accompanying drawings, and the novel features of the invention are set forth in the appended claims.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation, on a reduced scale, of a file cabinet having a drawer equipped with a follower or compressor embodying my invention, the drawer being shown in an open position.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, transverse, sectional erevation of the drawer and follower on line 2 2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan thereof on line 3-3, Fi 2.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of the follower on line 4-4, Fig.2.

Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional elevations on lines 5-5 and 6-6, respectively, Fig. 2.

Figs. '7 and 8 are views respectively similar to Figs. 5 and 6, but showing the compressor member of the follower retained in its tilted, filerelieving position.

Referring to the drawings:

I0 represents the drawer or receptacle which may be of any usual or suitable construction. The follower or compressor comprises a plate or member I I which is hinged adjacent to its lower edge on a supporting runner orbase I2 which is mounted or arranged for djustment forwardly and rearwardly in the receptacle by guide means in the bottom portion of the receptacle.

The hinged follower plate I I, as shown, is provided with vertical stiffening channels I I a welded thereon, and at its lower portion is rigidly attached, as by welding or otherwise, to a hinge bracket l3 of U-shaped cross section having rearwardly projecting side flanges, which is hinged to the base I2 by a horizontal hinge pin or rod I4 that passes through registering bearing holes in the side flanges of the hinge bracket and in a hinge piece I5 which is rigidly attached, as by welding or otherwise, on the base I 2. This hinge piece I5, as shown, consists of a bar of generally U-shape, having a horizontal middle portion which is attached to the base, and side portions I6 which extend upwardly at the outer sides of the side flanges of the hinge bracket, having therein the bearing holes for the hinge pin I4, and end portions I! which project laterally" outward from the upper-ends of the vertical portions I6 0f the hinge piece.

The guide means shown for adjustably supportingor mounting the follower base in the receptacl comprise a channel member 20 which is confined and held stationary in a central, longitudinal depression or channel 2! formed in the bottom of the drawer. The channel member 9 shown has upstanding side walls with top flanges 22 which project inwardly over the side edge portions of the base I2 so as to slidably confine the base in the channel 26.v The base may consist,

as shown, of a horizontal plat having downi turned stiffening or strengthening side flanges, the flanged side portions of the base being sliderally inverted U-form having upright side leg's' connected by a top cros piece. The legs off tlje spring are co-iled about the hinge pin Mfor the hinged member with the lower ends or the legs bent rearwardly and bearing against tii h nge piece [6 or other portion of the follower base. The spring acts to urge the hinged follower member to its standing position, but permits the hinged member to be tilted against the action of the spring rearwardly or away from the filesto relieve the pressure threori;

For r'leas'ably sec" 'ri the base [2 with the follower in different; adjustments forwardly eI-iid rearwafdly' in the drawer, two lat'chbc'ilts- 26' are shown, arranged to move downwardly and upwardly on the base into and out of holding engagement'with stops or teeth 21 arranged in two lorigitudifial rows n thebottom of the follower guide channel 28'. rhesteeth hsy be formed by struck-up portions of the guide ohl'glnfiel l icittom and may'have bevelled fates that allow the latch bolts to ride over the teeth iii the forward ad; justments of the follower. The latch bolts- 26 may be guided in their arid movements in holes 28 and Glorified respectively iii the base plate I and in the laterally projecting the pertioiis I! of the h'iiig' piece I'B, ahdarepreferably coii'eoted to a releasing 30;, mouiited' to slide a idddwn oh the h' d" N beam. This releasing member in, shown, consists of aplate haying rearwaidljf ejecting side flanges 3|, and it is slidably iet therea'f face of the follower them 'er' H b-Yfa latch-actuating plate arm-e as may e slidajbly mounted on the rtudwer fl by retsmih means, including a; crew 34 through he, actuatingplate into a vein-taut elo'rigat'ed slot 35 in the ioiiowerpiat H as to permit limited up and gown niovementsoftthe I actuating member 33. Tl'ie' releas' is vertically slotted to" fofm": legs whi" v the hinge bracket I3, and the actuatin 13late'3 3 shown is also formed down weirdly extend.-

' ing le s that straqaiethe hinge bracket, 13. and

are oilset rearwardlyfroin the plane of the upper portion or the actuating plate arid shaabiy bear a ainst the rear face of thereletsing member; 30; said legs as having, at their lower ends, lateral extensions 31 which project into notc es 3a in rth'e side anges of the releasing member, iri'which notches the extensions have limited vertical play or lost motion. The releasing member 30is that is; allowed to Clfdfi by gravity, for iiidifi-iig the latch bolts 2 5 into holding ehgaeehiehtwlth the teeth i'Lth'e releasing piste shame between the folitwerpiete II and the retaining legs as of the actuating member. The releasiiig member so is adapted to he i isedity upward or the slidably retested in position at the muster and ber may also be formed with rearwardly projecting hooks 40 which extend through slots '4! in the upper ends of the latch bolts so that up and down movements of the latch-releasing member 30 will be communicated to the latch bolts for engaging them with and releasing them from their cooperating stop teeth 21. The hooks 4 0 and slots H thus provide an articulated joint or movable connection between the latch bolts and releasin member that enables the tilting movements of the follower plate H on the base in any adjustments of the base, without causing tlre latch bolts to he disengaged from their holdirig teeth 21. The follower or compressor is thus t adapted teb moved to and releasably secured iii rediiiidfile-supporting adjustment in the receptacle andreleasably secured in such adjustmentby engagement of the latch bolts with their cooperating teeth, and the hinged compressor plate" H is adapted, in any such adjustment of the follower in the receptacle, to be tilted or swung to and from its star'iding. file-supporting or compfes'siiig position without disengaging the latches 26"fi6friith teeth and releasing-the follower base.

Iii additiori to this latch means for releasably secufiiig the follower base with the follower in different required file-supporting adjustments iii-the receptacle, latch means is also provided for felasably retaining the hinged compressor plate H in thetilted position when it has been swuiig or tilted to the limit of'its movement rearwar'dl'y or away from the files. This latch is for'ri'ied, as showrnby a latch bar 42 which is secured by the screw 34 tothe latch-actuating member st tes slidably mounted on the hinged compressor plate! I by a headed screw 43 secured in a hole inthe-hingebracket l3 of the follower plate and passing through a vertically. elongated slot 4; in; the latch bar 42. A notch 45 in the ang t h or the hinge bracket is further aids inslidably retainingand guiding the; latch bar 42 on the follower, and this mounting of the bar aids in slidably retaining and guiding the actuating and-releasingmembers 33 and 3D onthe follower. The latch bar 42 is urged downwardly by a suitable spring, such as a coil spring 46 attached at opposite ends to the; screw 43 and a stud 41 on the latch bar 42; This spring normally presses the lower endof -the latch bar 42 downwardly against the top face of a stop on the base l2, which stop may beformed by the horizontal portion of the hinge piece l5. When the latch bar thus bears against the top face of the stop piece l5, it does not'i-nterfere with the forwardly and rearwardly tilting or swingingmovements of the compressor plate II; but when the follower plate has been tilted rearwardly or away from the files to the limit, the latch bar 42 will be projected downward-1y by its spring into engagement with the forward edge of the stop or hinge piece l5, and thus will hold the hinged compressor plate against return to it standing position under the action of its spring 25 and so will retain the hinged compressor plate in its rearwardly tilted position V r i 'I he articulated connection between the latch bolts 2 6 for the'base I2 and thelatch-releasing plate 30 and the lost motion connection between the actuating member 33 and the releasing member 30 are such that the latch-actuatingmemb'er 33 can be raised by means of its finger piece 39 sufiiciently to disengage the latch bar 42 from its cooperating stop [5 and thus permit the hinged compressor plate H to be returned to its upright.

file-compressing position with out disengaging the base latch bolts 26 from holding engagement with their teeth on the guide channel 20. Thus, the

hinged compressor plate H can be swung or tilted forwardly or rearwardly, or retained in the rearwardly tilted position or released therefrom by appropriate operation of the latch-actuating member 33, without releasing the latch for the base I 2 and disturbing the adjustment of the follower base in the drawer. Nevertheless, by 'a further lifting movement of the actuating member 33, the latch bolts 26 can be released when it is desired to change the adjustment of the follower in the drawer.

The actuating spring 46 for the latch bar 42 also aids gravity in actuating the latch bolts 26 for the follower base, since when the actuating member 33 is released after having been raised to release the latch bolts 26, the spring acting on member 33 through the latch bar 42 will pull member 33 downward, and if releasing member 32 does not drop by gravity, the lateral extensions 37 of member 33 will strike the bottom edges of notches 3B in the releasing member and start downward movement of the latter and the connected latch bolts 26.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a filing device comprising a file receptacle, and a follower which is mounted by guide means in the bottom portion of the receptacle for movement to different file-supporting adjustments, and to swing from a standing file compressing position to a file-relieving position about a pivotal axis in the lower porti'on of the receptacle, the improvement which comprises a spring that urges the follower toward its standing position, a latch for releasably securing said follower in its different supporting adjustments, a latch for releasably retaining said follower in said file-relieving position against the action of said spring in the different supporting adjustments of the follower, and a common actuating device for said latches.

2. In a filing device comprising a file receptacle and a follower movable to different file-supoprting adjustments in the receptacle, the improvement which comprises said follower composed of a base adjustably mounted in the receptacle, and a compressor member hinged at its lower portion on said base, a spring that urges said compressor member towards a file-compressing position, a latch member on said base for engagement with parts on the receptacle for releasably securing the follower in different file-supporting adjustments, and an actuating member for said latch mounted on said hinged member and having a connection with said latch constructed to allow movement of the hinged member to and from a file-compressing position in different supporting adjustments of the follower while leaving said latch in securing position. V

3. In a filing device comprising a file recep tacle and a follower movable to different filesupporting adjustments in the receptacle, the improvement which comprises said follower composed of a base adjustably mounted in the recep-v tacle, and a compressor member hinged at its lower portion on said base, a spring that urges said compressor member towards a file-compressing position, a latch device for releasably securing said follower in different file-supporting adjustments, a latch device for releasably retaining said hinged member in a file-relieving position against the action of said spring in different supporting adjustments of the follower, and a common actuating means for said latches constructed to actuate said second latch to free said hinged member while leaving'said first latch device in securing position.

4. In a filing device comprising a file receptacle and a follower movable to different filesupporting adjustments in the receptacle, the improvement which comprises said follower composed of a base adjustably mounted in the receptacle, and a compressor member hinged at its lower portion on said base, a spring that urges said compressor member towards a file-compressing position, a latch slidably guided on said base for engagement with parts on the receptacle for securing the follower in different filesupporting adjustments, and an actuating member for said latch slidably mounted on said hinged member and connected with said latch by a lateral projection loosely engaging in a slot in said latch to allow hinging movement of said hinged member without releasing the latch.

5. In a filing device comprising a file receptacle and a follower movable to different filesupporting adjustments in the receptacle, the improvement which comprises said follower composed of a base adjustably mounted in the receptacle, and a compressor member hinged at its lower portion on said base, a spring that urges said compressor member towards a file compressing position, a latch slidably guided on said base for engagement withlparts on the receptacle for securing the follower in different filesupporting adjustments, a releasing member slidably confined on said hinged member and having a lateral projection loosely engaging in a slot in said lach to allow hinging movement of said hinged member without releasing the latch, and a latch-actuating member slidably confined on said hinged member andhaving a lost motion connection with said releasing member for moving the latter to release the latch.

6. In a filing device comprising a file receptacle and a follower movable to different filesupporting adjustments in the receptacle, the improvement which comprises said follower composed of a base adjustably mounted in the receptacle, and a compressor member hinged at its lower portion on said base, a spring that urges said compressor member towards a file compressing position, a latch slidably guided on said base for engagement with parts on the receptacle for securing the follower in different file-supporting adjustments, a releasing plate slidably confined on said hinged member and having a lateral projection loosely engaging in a slot in said latch to allow hinging movement of said hinged member without releasing the latch, a latch-actuating plate slidably confined on said hinged member and having a lost motion connection with said releasing plate for moving the latter to release the latch, and a latch bar connected to said actuating member and arranged to engage a part of said follower base to said base for engagement with parts on the receptacle for securing the follower in difierent file-supporting adjustments, a releasing plate slidably confined 'on said hinged member and having a lateral projection loosely engaging in a slot in said latch to allow hinging movement of said hinged member -without releasing the latch, a latch-actuating plate slidably confined on said hinged member and having a lost motion connection with said releasing plate for moving the latter to release the latch, "a latch bar connected to said actuating plate and arranged to engage a part of said follower base to retain said hinged member in file-relieving position, and a spring for urging said latch bar and actuating plate toward said follower base.

8. In a filing device comprising a follower movable to different file-supporting adjustments in a file receptacle and comprising aba'se movably mounted in the receptacle, a compressor member hinged at its lower portion on said base, a

a spring that urges said hinged member towards a file-compressing position, and a latch on the base movable by gravity for securing the follower in different adjustments, the improvement comprising a releasing member slidable vertically on said hinged member and having an articulated connection with said latch to allow said hinged member to swing without releasing said latch, aiatch-actuating member slidable verticaliy on said hinged member and having a lost motion connection with said releasing member, a latchbar attached to and movable with said actuating member and arranged to engage a part on said base for retaining said hinged memher in a file-relieving position, and a spring which urges -said latch bar toward said base, said latch bar being operated to release said hinged member by an initial movement of said actuating member and said base latch being released by a further movement of the actuating member.

JAMES R. JONES. VICTOR A. GRONBERG. 

